THE VICE PRESIDENT: Thank you, all, very much. That's a great
welcome. And, Dave, thank you for those very kind words. He's just
jealous because I'm a better fly fisherman than he is. (Laughter.)
But I'm delighted to be here today, in fact, to spend some time with
CPAC, especially on the 30th anniversary of a great organization. CPAC
has consistently over the years championed those ideas that have made
America great: limited government, free enterprise, low taxes, and a
strong national defense. And today, I'm honored to serve alongside a
great President who is putting principles into practice, George W.
Bush. (Applause.)

Two nights ago, I was very proud as the President delivered his
State of the Union address and set forth a full agenda for the nation
for 2003 and beyond. This is going to be a consequential year in the
history of our nation and in the history of freedom. We have many
responsibilities, but we don't have the luxury of taking them one at a
time. We must meet them all at once.

Under the leadership of the President, this government will work to
build greater prosperity across the land, and we will answer every
danger and every enemy that threatens the American people. This year
we will honor a binding commitment to older Americans, working together
to improve Medicare and give all seniors the choice of a health plan
that includes prescription drugs. The American system of medicine
offers the highest quality care in the world, and we must not undermine
that quality with a nationalized health care system that dictates
coverage and rations care. Nor should we stand by as the health care
system is undermined by unfair and frivolous lawsuits against doctors
and hospitals. (Applause.)

The lawsuit culture makes everyone pay more for health care. And
it is causing many parts of America to lose fine doctors. It's time to
end these abuses with strong medical liability reform. It's also time
for bold steps to enhance our energy independence and to improve the
environment in ways that other generations would not have dreamed
possible. The President has sent Congress a comprehensive energy bill
to promote efficiency and conservation, to develop cleaner technology,
and to produce more energy right here in the United States. In
addition, we will launch a major research project so that America leads
the world in developing cars that are powered by hydrogen. With a
major commitment to this enterprise, we'll make the air cleaner and our
nation much less dependent on foreign sources of energy.

Under President Bush, we will continue to build a culture that
upholds the dignity of every life. (Applause.) And we will encourage
the compassionate work of faith-based and community groups all across
the country. And as a great nation, we will set a high standard for
humanity by passing a law against human cloning and ending the practice
of partial-birth abortions. (Applause.)

For the well being of America's families, we are working every day
to set this economy on a path of vigorous long-term growth. President
Bush has a very clear economic philosophy. We recognize that
government does not create wealth; it does not create jobs. The role
of government is to remove obstacles standing in the way of economic
growth. (Applause.)

America has faced recession, terrorist attack, corporate scandals
and stock market declines, yet we have the strongest, most resilient
economy the world has ever known. But we cannot be satisfied until
everyone who wants to work can find a job. And our mission is to speed
up economic growth and to add new jobs all across the country.

Two years ago, Congress approved the Bush tax cut but held back on
all of the tax relief until 2006. We believe that if tax relief is
good enough for Americans several years from now, it is even better for
Americans today. (Applause.) Instead of gradually reducing the
marriage penalty, we should do it now. Instead of slowly raising the
child credit, we should do it now. And we should send the checks to
America's families as quickly as possible. And to improve corporate
responsibility and governance, immediately draw more money into the
markets, treat taxpayers fairly, encourage savings and investment, we
are asking Congress to end the unfair double-taxation of dividends.
(Applause.)

Under the President's plan, Americans will receive $98 billion in
tax relief over the next 16 months. Nearly half of that amount -- $47
billion -- are tax cuts intended for small business owners. And to
help ensure that small business people, farmers and ranchers can pass
along their life's work to the next generation, we want to eliminate
the death tax once and for all. (Applause.)

Today's fourth quarter economic figures underscore the need for
Congress to pass the President's jobs and growth plan as soon as
possible. The President's proposals will reduce the tax burden on the
American people by $670 billion over the next 10 years. By leaving
more money in the hands of the people who earn it, people who will
spend and invest and save and add momentum to our recovery, we'll help
create more jobs and ultimately increase tax revenues for the
government. The return path to a balanced budget is faster growth in
the American economy and spending discipline in Washington, D.C. In
all of these proposals -- from better care for seniors, to legal
reform, to greater energy independence, to the growth and jobs plan --
we see the kind of focus, clarity of purpose, and sense of duty that
Americans have come to know and admire in President Bush.

With those same qualities of character he has led this nation in a
time of great difficulty and danger. And he's leading the world in the
urgent battle against a network of killers. Great decisions and
crucial hours lie ahead in this war against terror. But let there be
no doubt, we will prevail. (Applause.)

Since the attacks of 9/11, every level of our government has taken
important steps to protect America against terrorism. We created the
Department of Homeland Security to mobilize against a wide range of
possible threats. More than 50,000 federal screeners are deployed at
our airports. We've put more marshals on airplanes and stepped up
security at power plants, ports and border crossings. We've begun
inoculating troops and first responders against smallpox and are
stockpiling enough smallpox vaccine for every American. We are using
new technologies to detect weapons of mass destruction. We're
developing a Terrorist Threat Integration Center to merge and analyze
all threat information in a single location. We're beginning to field
a defense against ballistic missiles. And we are launching Project
Bioshield, a comprehensive effort to develop and make available modern
effective drugs and vaccines to protect against attack by biological
and chemical weapons or other dangerous agents. With these measures,
we seek to guard our nation against new and fearsome dangers. But
while the threats we face are unprecedented, our responsibilities are
familiar.

Once again, we are defending both ourselves and the safety and
survival of civilization itself. And as President Bush said, we accept
this responsibility. Today America leads a worldwide coalition that is
sharing intelligence, hunting down terrorists, freezing the assets of
terrorist groups and front organizations. We've deprived al Qaeda of
its stronghold in Afghanistan. And as we've seen just this week, we
continue to disrupt their efforts to regroup. We've captured or killed
leading al Qaeda terrorists and have disrupted their chain of command.
Our law enforcement and intelligence officials are working long and
hard to thwart terrorist plots, both here and abroad. And while many
of their successes must go unheralded, I can tell you that numerous
terrorist attacks against the United States and our allies have been
thwarted since 9/11.

The United States and our partners have also dismantled terror
cells in Italy, Spain, Great Britain, Germany, France, Singapore,
Malaysia, and frozen many millions of dollars in terrorist assets.
We've arrested more then 3,000 suspected terrorists worldwide and taken
out of business many of the top al Qaeda leaders responsible for
murdering Americans and other innocent citizens. And we will continue
to hunt for those remaining at large.

Where al Qaeda and its allies are concerned, we're dealing with a
network that operates in 50 or more countries around the globe, that
has murdered Americans in Bali, in Kuwait, in Yemen, and in Jordan, and
that is determined to acquire and use weapons of mass destruction
against us and our allies. Against such enemies, America and the
civilized world have only one option: Wherever terrorists operate, we
will find them; wherever they dwell, we will hunt them down.

We will also continue our efforts to address the grave danger posed
by the outlaw regime in Iraq. We will not permit a brutal dictator
with ties to terror and a record of reckless aggression to dominate the
Middle East and to threaten the United States of America. (Applause.)

Twelve years ago, Saddam Hussein agreed to disarm Iraq of all of
its weapons of mass destruction. For 12 years he has violated that
agreement, pursuing chemical, biological and nuclear weapons even while
U.N. inspectors were in Iraq. Last fall, thanks to the leadership of
President Bush, the U.N. Security Council unanimously passed a
resolution giving Iraq one final chance to disarm. Inspectors were
sent to Iraq not to determine whether Saddam has weapons of mass
destruction, but simply to confirm that Iraq truly was disarming itself
-- as required by U.N. Security Council resolutions. Unfortunately,
the declaration that Iraq provided to the United Nations last month
about its weapons and missiles program clearly demonstrated that Saddam
has absolutely no intention of complying with the world's demands.

Some time ago, the U.N. confirmed that Iraq has sufficient material
to produce over 25,000 liters of anthrax, more than 38,000 liters of
botulinum toxin, and as much as 500 tons of sarin, mustard gas, and VX
nerve agents. We know he had about 30,000 munitions capable of
delivering chemical weapons and several mobile biological weapons
laboratories designed to produce germ warfare agents on the move. Yet
Saddam Hussein has never accounted for, nor destroyed these instruments
of terror. And his desire for nuclear weapons remains undiminished.
Saddam Hussein is continuing his decade-old game of defiance, delay and
deception. He's blocking unrestricted aerial reconnaissance. His
security agents are hiding documents and materials from the U.N.
inspectors. His intelligence agents are posing as scientists. And
Saddam Hussein has decreed that real scientists who cooperate with
U.N. inspectors will be killed, along with their families.

Saddam Hussein's pursuit of weapons of mass destruction poses a
grave danger -- not only to his neighbors, but also to the United
States. His regime aids and protects terrorists, including members of
al Qaeda. He could decide secretly to provide weapons of mass
destruction to terrorists for use against us. And as the President
said on Tuesday night, it would take just one vial, one canister, one
crate to bring a day of horror to our nation unlike any we have ever
known.

That is why confronting the threat posed by Iraq is not a
distraction from the war on terror, it is absolutely crucial to winning
the war on terror. (Applause.) America seeks a world of peace, but we
will not accept a serious threat to our country, to our friends, and to
our allies. Next Wednesday, Secretary of State Powell will present
information and intelligence to the U.N. Security Council about Iraq's
ongoing defiance. Our purpose is not simply to follow a process, it is
to end the terrible threats to the civilized world. And as the
President said the other night, the course of this nation does not
depend upon the decisions of others. (Applause.)

Whatever action is required, whenever action is necessary, we will
defend the freedom and the security of the American people. Ladies and
gentlemen, in this critical hour I have the honor of standing beside a
great President who is determined to prevent the world's terrorists and
their sponsors from realizing their evil ambitions. Speaking at this
conference more than 20 years ago, in 1981, President Ronald Reagan
assured the audience that, "if we carry the day and turn the tide, we
can hope that as long as men speak of freedom and of those who have
protected it, they will remember us. And they will say, 'here were the
brave and here their place of honor.'"

As everyone in this room knows, President Reagan proved equal to
the challenges of his time. And President Bush is proving equal to the
challenges of ours. (Applause.) We will make our country stronger,
better, more secure. We will confront every threat from every source
that could possibly bring harm to America and to our friends. And in
all that we are called to do, we will serve the highest ideals of this
nation -- liberty and justice -- in a world at peace. Thank you very
much. (Applause.)